In this issue:
Memorial dedicated to Melissa and Mark Hortman, displayed outside the Minnesota House Chamber. Photo credit to Kerem Yücel, MPR News.
On Saturday, June 14, a disturbed individual impersonated police and assassinated Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark and their dog Gilbert, and attempted to assassinate Senator John Hoffman, his wife Yvette, and daughter Hope. As more information has been released, we have learned that he had visited the homes of two other elected officials that morning with intent to assassinate them, and had an entire hit list of pro-choice elected officials, pro-choice policy advocates, and a list of abortion providers that he intended to harm.
This act of horrific violence should be called what is it—domestic terrorism.
At a time when the Federal Administration has not only stoked fear, but encouraged harm, we must all do our part to care for and protect each other. The incidents of the weekend of June 14 are also a call for better emergency communications in our communities. With large influxes of misinformation and disinformation spreading online, my office worked tirelessly to make accurate information available to the general public, and do our best to dispel rumors as they arose.
We are living in unprecedented times, and that calls for new actions that are not just reactive, but proactive, to the interconnected crises we are facing in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the United States.
Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark should be alive today. My heart is with both the Hortman and Hoffman families, as well as all members and staff of the Minnesota Legislature as they grieve.
On Friday, June 20, gun violence broke out near Miracle City Church. Two individuals were shot, and one was killed. At the moment, the Minneapolis Police Department has extra eyes on the area and are working with businesses and property owners on the block to keep neighbors informed. MPD has shared that there is no current threat to the public.
Any loss of life to gun violence is one too many. My office is continuing to advocate for Violence Prevention services in the Loring Park and Stevens Square area to address incidents like these, especially ahead of the summer when these corridors are most active. I give my condolences to those impacted by the recent shooting.
Counci Member Cashman speaking from the dais with the U.S. Flag and City Seal in the background
Last week, City Clerk Casey Carl delivered a presentation on the status of ordinances, enterprise policies, and directives from the City Council for the year of 2025. Clerk Carl emphasized that the City Council has been working together and accomplishing incredible things this term. This has been one of the most productive Council terms in history, with the City Council voting unanimously on ordinances and resolutions at an incredibly high rate, showing great collaboration throughout City Council and with the administration. It was also highlighted that this unity on the dais comes from not just City Council collaboration, but from effective communication among the nearly 5,000 employees in the City of Minneapolis. I am proud of the work our City has done, and am proud to be a part of such a productive team.
Photo taken from the street of people using the Downtown skyway. Photo Credit to Renee Jones Schneider, Star Tribune
Last week, I authored a directive to address skyway hours and accessibility. As community members of Minneapolis know, our Downtown Skyway system is both an iconic piece of infrastructure for our City, as well as an accessibility component in colder months. What was previously a bustling asset to our infrastructure has become an unreliable pathway to move about Downtown. I authored a legislative directive for more information on the establishment, oversight, and code enforcement of skyways in Minneapolis. We have hours of operation in ordinance that we are not effectively upholding. Because our skyways are a unique component of our downtown corridor that is also vital to downtown residents and visitors in the winter months, we need a full understanding of why it operates the way it does after the Covid-19 pandemic, and how operations can shift to meet the current needs of residents and visitors.
Council Members received a presentation regarding the work of Resilience Hubs. Resilience Hubs are community-serving facilities designed to support residents before, during, and after extreme-weather emergencies, while also enhancing community well-being in everyday life. As we face more complex emergencies due to Climate Change and policy changes made by the Federal Administration, I believe it is crucial to improve and expand the Resilience Hubs we have in Minneapolis. Work is currently being done to integrate work from the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, Office of Emergency Management, and the Neighborhood Safety Department, as well as expand partnerships and capacity. Currently, the selected sites are scheduled to have energy microgrids installed by 2026.
Council Members approved three honorary resolutions recognizing: Victims of Police Brutality and their Families and Communities Five Years after the Murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin; the National Holiday of Juneteenth in the City of Minneapolis; the African American Heritage Work Group; Celebrating Djibouti Independence Day in the City of Minneapolis.
Public hearings are officially confirmed when meeting agendas are published in the roughly 48 business hours prior to a scheduled meeting, so I recommend checking back on the respective links to verify the timeline. Find out more about participating in scheduled hearings and submitting a public comment or watch meetings on the City’s YouTube channel.
Business, Housing, and Zoning Committee: Tuesday, June 24 | 1:30pm | 250 S. Fourth Street, Room 350
In each Ward 7 Newsletter, we include a question for constituents to weigh in on. Questions may be related to upcoming policy decisions, future planning, issue prioritization, community project ideas, and more.
Today's question:
During our Water Quality Community Roundtable at the Bakken Museum last week, we discussed with experts the various ways the City and our community partners are contributing towards the safety and quality of our waters. This ranges from adopting storm water drains to clear them of debris, to testing various eco-friendly ways to melt ice. As we head into peak lake season, what would you like to see the City do to improve our lakes, rivers and streams?
W Grant Street and Willow Street intersection signs in rainbow colors. Photo credit to Minneapolis Public Works
To help ensure a safe and joyful Twin Cities Pride Festival, the organizers of the festival have asked us to share the following information with Ward 7 residents.
Willow Street will be fully closed starting Tuesday, June 25. Beginning Friday, June 27, it will be accessible only with a permit, which will be distributed to effected residents prior to the event. Everything will reopen by the morning of Monday, June 30.
Harmon Place will remain accessible for lot parking and handicap parking throughout the weekend, even though road closure signs will be posted. Concrete barriers will go up just beyond the lot starting at 7:00 AM each morning of the festival, and will be removed about an hour after the end of festivities each day.
Here are a few key dates and times to keep in mind:
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Friday, June 27 – Youth Night in Loring Park from 4 PM to 8 PM
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Saturday, June 28 – Festival Day One: 10 AM to 7 PM
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Sunday, June 29 – Festival Day Two: 10 AM to 6 PM
Don’t forget, Pride is a great time to visit some of our fantastic Loring Park businesses. Get some shopping done at Rainbow Road, get a bite at Lotus Restaurant, see a show at Roxys Cabaret, then get some dessert at Nicollet Diner! Check each business’ website for hours and special events.
I’m so pleased to congratulate the Lowry Hill and East Isles Neighborhood Associations on their successful applications to our business district support grant program. The Uptown Farmers Market and Holidays on Hennepin will greatly benefit the small businesses of Hennepin Avenue South, and our Uptown community at large. As you know, in the 2025 Budget, we appropriated $100,000 for the Great Streets Business District Support (BDS) and $50,000 in Business Technical Assistance Program (BTAP) to support Uptown specific projects. I made sure that the border would extend into Lowry Hill to support the businesses impacted by construction this season. As you can see, City Departments worked very quickly to get this money out the door and it is already being put to great use to continue revitalizing Uptown.
Business District Support (BDS)
- The East Isles Neighborhood Association facilitated the opening of the Uptown Farmers Market on June 12 with an allocation of $35,000. This includes local vendors, food trucks, and live music, and is designed to bring sustainable opportunities to high pedestrian spaces.
- Highlighting BIPOC and immigrant-owned businesses, the IFRI_TRYV, a non-profit dedicated to improving stability for underrepresented BIPOC businesses, will receive $15,000 to help illustrate visibility campaigns on multimedia storytelling and business trail maps.
- The Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association was awarded $30,000 for “Holidays on Hennepin”, a month-long celebration in December that will promotes business, implements street decorations, and digital advertising.
- Using the allocated $20,000, the Uptown Association will develop a digital hub for events and community updates that will feature business directories, community calendars, and practical information.
Business Technical Assistance Program (BTAP)
- With $25,000, JLLB Media will do one-on-one support to business owners on marketing, communications, and digital advertising.
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Similarly, with an allocation of $25,000, the Lake Street Council will provide one-on-one technical support to up to 50 Uptown businesses. Their services will be in a variety of different languages such as English, Spanish, and Somali.
Thank you for your creative ideas and collaboration to bring these programs to life and support Hennepin Ave! I look forward to continuing these efforts together and supporting new and existing businesses along Hennepin and Lake.
Graphic with images of the lakes surrounding Downtown Minneapolis. Text reads: Love your lakes & creeks? Join the team helping protect them! Minneapolis is seeking volunteers for the Bassett Creek and Shingle Creek Watershed Commissions. No experience needed! Just a passion for clean water and your community!
Community support towards our waters is an essential part of keeping our natural spaces and neighbors safe from harmful contaminants that damage our local ecosystems. The City of Minneapolis is seeking residents to serve on the Bassett Creek and Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commissions that advise on policies that help protect our lakes, creeks, and wetlands by improving water quality and reducing flood risks. No experience needed, just a passion for clean water and your community!
Meeting Times:
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Bassett Creek Commission: 3rd Thursdays at 8:30 a.m. (breakfast included!)
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Shingle Creek Commission: 2nd Thursdays at 12:45 p.m. (lunch included!)
Image of a construction site with a banner overlayed with the logos for Mpls Downtown Council and Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District. Text reads: June 24th at 3:30pm Downtown Dialogues Navigating I-94 & I-394 Construction.
The window for submitting Traffic Calming requests for the next budget cycle has been extended to August 1st. If you have been wanting speed bumps, curb extensions, traffic circles, or other speed deterrents, you can submit a traffic calming application online. Applications are open to residents, business owners, and neighborhood organizations.
If you need help filling out the application, you can also contact Minneapolis 311 or email Traffic.calming@minneapolismn.gov.
Map of Franklin Ave from Lyndale to Chicago.
CenterPoint has an upcoming construction project that will run along Franklin Avenue from Lyndale Avenue South to Chicago Avenue. Work is planned to begin July 7 and last about 2 months.
This work is being done in anticipation of the Hennepin County Franklin Ave Reconstruction work planned for later this year. You can learn more about this construction on CenterPoint’s website.
As I shared in my last newsletter, the Mayor’s Office and Public Works are taking action on residents’ concerns of broken street lights. My office has heard your concerns about a lack of lighting around the lakes. We have continued advocating for more priority around major summer tourist areas, like the Chain of Lakes, and have been informed the tentative schedule for street light repair is as follows:
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Bancroft – in progress
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St. Anthony Parkway/Columbus Parkway – in progress
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Bde Maka Ska
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Nokomis (start)
Mid/Late Summer (August/Sept)
- Nokomis (continued)
- Harriet
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Lake of the Isles
- Cedar Lake
- Minnehaha Parkway
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Remaining areas (which include Greenway and Franklin/Hiawatha trail)
While this schedule is subject to change, I am optimistic for what can be accomplished this summer to improve safety and walkability in some of the most popular parts of our City.
We Are Water- Volunteer as an exhibit guide in downtown Minneapolis this summer! June 17th to August 2nd, the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District is hosting We Are Water MN, a traveling exhibit designed to engage community members of all ages on the importance of water.
This summer, Minneapolis residents are invited to join the MN Historical Society, MN Humanities, and the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District to volunteer for an exhibit that engages community members on the importance of water. There will be interactive displays, water themed events, and stories of local waters. Your stories and enthusiasm on water is needed to help push community collectiveness. To apply and learn more, email minneapolisdid@gmail.com about becoming a volunteer.
The City’s Economic Policy and Development Team in the Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) department has the Latino Business Week Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) open. Currently, the team is accepting proposals for Latino Business Week by anyone to help plan, promote, and run workshops and events, scheduled from October 5-11, 2025. With available funds of $60,000, applicants can request up to $20,000. Applications can be found on the City website and are due by July 7 at 4:00 pm, with Spanish translated information available.
Council Member Cashman speaking at We Are Water exhibit opening.
Sometimes the news can get us down, but there is a lot to be excited about in Minneapolis! This year we will be sure to call out some good news in each of our newsletters. Do you have some good news to share? Let us know by emailing ward7@minneapolismn.gov and including “Good News Round-up" in the subject line.
From left to right: Daniela Mejia, our Ward 7 Community Environmental Advisory Commission Representative; Shelley Buck, president of Owámniyomni Okhódayapi; Council Member Cashman; and Angie Craft, the Director of Surface Water and Sewers at the City of Minneapolis.
The Ward 7 team continues to get out in community to talk to neighbors and stakeholders where they are. Here are a few highlights from the past couple of weeks.
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Hosted a Community Roundtable on water quality at the Bakken Museum in the West Maka Ska neighborhood with water quality experts from throughout Minneapolis.
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Met with the team at Hennepin Arts to discuss supporting the downtown theater district.
- Attended the Citizens for a Loring Park Community Safety Meeting.
- Met with the Downtown Council to discuss future plans for Nicollet Mall.
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Joined Council Members Wonsley, Rainville, and Jenkins; Mayor Frey; and numerous Downtown Partners at the Depot Renaissance hotel to celebrate signing the Tourism Improvement District Ordinance.
To find out about what’s going on in your part of town, check out the nine neighborhood organizations working to keep folks connected and engaged in Ward 7:
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